A New Sunday Alcohol Sales Ballot Ordered

By JOHN SCOTT COOPER, Staff Writer
It’s not news. It was expected. It’s done. The voters of Waycross have been given another chance to decide whether they want to buy alcoholic beverages on Sunday.
The Waycross city commissioners voted Tuesday in their meeting at City Hall to put two issues on a ballot on Nov. 8: an option to allow the sales of alcoholic beverages on Sunday at restaurants and a separate choice whether to allow package sales of alcohol on Sunday. They may choose to allow only one, both or neither.
The vote to set the referendum was unanimous Tuesday, 4-0. Commissioner Marian Solomon-Gaines was not present.
Voters recently defeated the exact same dual Sunday alcohol referendums by a fairly close margin, but the city commission, undaunted, seems resolved to force the question until it passes.
The Tuesday meeting was almost all voting with little talk. Soon after approving the November ballot, commissioners approved the purchases of nearly $72,000 worth of equipment to be installed in new police patrol cars, purchased and soon to be delivered. They also approved the annexation of a property at 525 Woodward Ave.
To finalize the patrol car equipment purchases, commissioners approved resolutions that were needed to authorize the use of SPLOST funds.
They also approved the request to celebrate the memory of Dr. Robert T. Bussey by having the Georgia Department of Transportation dedicate Victory Drive by having it also known as “Dr. Robert T. Bussey Parkway” with appropriate signs posted after the dedication ceremony.
Bussey was a principal at Ware County High School, which is on Victory Drive.
Commissioners approved the purchase of fireworks from Pyrotecnico for Fourth of July festivities. The cost of $10,500 will be paid by the city though City Manager Raphel Maddox said in the work session Monday that he is still asking the Ware County Commission if it will help.
“I’m glad the city has taken this on,” said Commissioner Diane Hopkins. “This event brings a lot of people into the city who look forward to it.”
Kenny Boyett, former Waycross school system employee and woodworking program director at Ware State Prison, is retiring from the prison. Commissioners voted to join others in requesting that the prison woodworking building be named in honor of Boyett. A dedication ceremony will reportedly be attended by Gov. Nathan Deal and other state top officials, Mayor John Knox said, affirming the positive reputation of Boyett.